Carton carrier



Nov. 16, 1954 H. GREENLAW EIAL CARTON CARRIER Original Filed March 2'7,1951 INVENTORS l/Akom Gen-MAW 100/5 )4! 621M441 BY CAI/PL ,4. Par/v4 M MW Ill/Ill! Illllli llillilll.

United. States Patent CARTON CARRIER Harold Greenlaw, Oakland, and LouisW. Cavalli and Carl A. Reyna, San Francisco, Calif., assignors to Edlo,lnc., San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of California Originalapplication March 27, 1951, Serial No. 217,820. Divided and thisapplication February 3, 1953, Serial N 0. 334,858

7 Claims. (Cl. 294-87.2)

This invention relates to a carton carrier of generally the type shownin copending application for Letters Patent Serial No. 198,938, filedDecember 4, 1950, and has for one of its objects a simple economicallymade and assembled carrier for rectangular cartons of the type commonlyused for containing milk.

This application is a division of application for Letters Patent, SerialNo. 217,820, filed March 27, 1951, by Samuel Platt and Louis W. Cavalli.

Heretofore milk cartons having a gablelike or roof top have been made inhalf gallon sizes for milk, but the cartons having flat tops have beenmade only in quart sizes and smaller due to manufacturingconsiderations. The present invention provides a sufiiciently economicalholder and carrier for two quart cartons to meet the demand for halfgallon quantities of milk without resorting to a single half galloncontainer. Even purchasers of milk in gallon quantities usually prefergetting it in quart sizes that will remain sealed until actuallyrequired.

Carton carriers and holders for supplying the above demand must ofnecessity be economical to make and to apply to the cartons where, as inmost instances, the cost of the milk is no more than were it supplied inhalf gallon containers. The present invention provides a carrier that isstrong, easy and economical to make from a structural standpoint andfrom the standpoint of material, and which carrier is easy andeconomical to apply to the cartons.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the description and in thedrawings.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a reduced size view of a blank that is adapted to be folded toform a carrier, and which blank'includes all the elements of the holderin one piece.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the carrier with theupper ends of the cartons shown in place in said carrier.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the blank of Fig. l in set-up position.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the handle portion of the carrier as aunit separate from the collar that is adapted to surround the cartons.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a collar separate from the handle ofFig. 4, but which is for use with said handle.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention thatdiffers somewhat from the form shown in Fig. 4, but which form isadapted for use with the collar of Fig. 5.

F Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view on line 77 of In the drawings,referring to Fig. l, the carrier comprises a blank 1 of cardboard or thelike that is in the form of an elongated strip of uniform width exceptat its end portions. This strip is formed with spaced paralleltransverse folding creases 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 that are at right angles tothe length of the strip, and which creases, as seen in Fig. 1, are insuccession starting from the left.

The crease 3, which is second from the left, defines the connectionbetween the left hand end portion 8 of the strip, and is substantiallywider than the strip, although the bottom edges of said strip and saidportion are in alignment.

This portion 8 of the carrier forms the handle, and the folding crease 2centrally bisects the same so that the halves 9, 10 at opposite sides ofthe crease 2 may be ice folded on themselves. The half 9 is at theextreme end of the strip.

The remainder of the strip (excluding portion 17) is adapted to befolded along folding creases 4, 5, 6, 7 to form a horizontally elongatedrectangular collar adapted to extend around two vertically disposedconventional, lrectangular milk cartons (Fig. 2) adjacent the tops ofthe atter.

The ends of said collar comprise the sections 14, of the strip thatrespectively lie between folding creases 4, 5 and 6, 7.

The section 17 that lies between folding creases 3, 4 forms one half ofone side of the collar, and the right hand half of the right hand endsection 16 that is at the right hand end of the strip is adapted tooverlie the section 17 when the collar is formed. Thus sections 16, 17together, form one side of the collar, and the side opposite thereto isthe sectoin'18 that lies between folding creases 5, 6.

The horizontal widths of the halves 9, 10 of the handle portion 8 areeach substantially equal to the width of either end 14, 15 of thecollar.

In setting up the carrier, the left hand half 9 of the handle portion isfirst folded over (toward the observer looking at Fig. 1) onto the half10. Then the sections 17, 14, 18, 15, 16 are folded along foldingcreases'4, 5, 6, 7 to form the rectangular collar as above described,and finally the handle portion is swung about the folding crease 3 to aposition extending across the collar midway between the sides and atright angles to the latter. Thus a pair of rectangular openings eachadapted to receive the upper portion of a rectangular milk cartontherein such as 12, 13, are provided at opposite sides of the handleportion 8, which portion forms the partition between said openings.

The outer end of the end section 16 is cut away along the lower edge ofthe strip and upwardly at a point spaced from the outer end edge of saidsection to form a downwardly projecting locking tab 20. The end edge 21of the strip (free end edge of section 16) is inclined slightly relativeto the upper edge 22 of the strip, and section 16 to form a slightlyacute angle with said edge 22. The lower part of this edge 21 is alsothe laterally outer edge of the tab 20.

Tab is more or less pointed in a downward direction having a slightlysinuously extending inner edge 23 that connects with edge 21 at itslower end so that the lower end edge of the tab is rounded. This edge 23extends generally divergently upwardly from its connection with edge 21to a point 24 about half the distance between the lower end of tab 20and the upper edge 22 of the strip.

From said point 24 a short slit 25 continues generally upwardly, andalso from point 24, the end edge 26 of the strip below tab 20 extendsdivergently downwardly to the lower edge 27 of the strip.

The section 17 is formed with horizontally extending opening 28 for thetab 20. When the section 16 is swung to overlie section 17, the tab 20is thrust downwardly into opening 28 and is easily locked with section17. A slit 29 is in continuation of one end of the opening 28. Along theupper edge of opening 28 the material is bent to one side of section 17as indicated at 19 (Fig. 7) to facilitate entry of tab 20 into theopening 28 at the' other side of said section.

Spaced above the tab 20 is a short slit 30 that extends from the freeouter end edge of the strip into the strip longitudinally thereof, and adownwardly inclined folding crease 31 extends from the inner end of saidslit to said free edge. When the tab 20 is thrust into the opening 28for its full length, the slit 30 will pass across slit 29 and theportion of the strip below slit 30 and above folding crease 31 will tendto snap to one side below slit 29 so as to effectively precludewithdrawal of the tab from opening 28.

In handle 8, the halves 9, 10 projects a substantial distance above theupper edge 22. The portions so projecting are formed with registeringfinger openings 34 through which fingers of a hand may be passed forcarrying the cartons that are held within the collar.

Below the openings 34, said halves 9, 10 are formed with partially cutout horizontally elongated members generally designated 35 thatalso arein registration insofar astheir outlines are-concerned when the-halvesare together.

The upper edge 36 of each member 35 defines the lowersedgeaofl-achopening '34'fand.;said. edge is spaced. above a line in straightcontinuation of the upperredge of the strip-.tha t..-consists of.the'Zsections 17,114; =18,

15. and'16. ,Thelower edge of each member-.SS is defined by afoldinghcrease. 37. that is parallel: with..the

edge.3.6':and that-is spaced slightly. below said linethat is incontinuation of the upper'Iedge of-theabovenamed therewith; saidcrease...39 being substantiallyin axial.

alignment .withLthe upperedges of seetionsl4. to 18..

Before .the halves. 9, 101 are.;folded. on themselves-in makingthe'carrier, thesaid .members 35 are bent oppositely outwardly.of'.thesaid-halves along-creases. 3.7 and. in direction. awayfromheachmtherwhen the halves are together, and then the upper halves ofeach of .said members are folded-back. over:. the lower half 'so .thatthe corners 49 of the .upper-portionof .eachmember 35,:above crease 39will overlap the body of. members 9, 10.;respec.-:

tively adjacent the. ends ofuthe: lower .foldingiprease 37,therebypositively holding the said.members 35 in planes extendingdivergently. upwardly" from the planes. in which the halves-9, arepositioned. Thezupper. edges. of said members are along the foldingcreases .39"when.

said members are folded on themselves, as described and said edges arerelatively long extending themajor part of the distance betweenthe sidesof the collar. Also said upper edgesnaretpreferably substantially:'evenwith the upper. edges .of the collar.v

Cartons. 12, 13. :areidentical, .and each. has. a substana tially.squaretop..42t.(in planlviewywith aflan'ge 43 along each edge.

The sides 44..- of each. cartonareusually in.substantiallythe..earneplane'as the edgepf-thettopat the upper end of.each side,'.there beinga laterally outwardly open-. ing recess. 45just. below thetop, theupperhside of which is the lowerhside. of eachflange. 43.

In {assembling the .cartons,..the-.collar-.-may first be fornied.-..and.;then slipped downwardly 'overl'an adjacent pair .withnthmlowertp'arts. of ..the =.handle .14 disposed betweeen said cartons. As themembers-35. (which have been previously. folded on. themselves) pass-theadjacent flanges; 1391 1118. pair; of cartons, .they are yieldably urgedtoward eachother and then as;they.-.clea r=. the flanges 43. they;SnapbppQsitelyioutwardly and. below .said adjacent 1 flangesh yl. hi$time ihegupper edgeof/the.collar .is

out .flu hwi h he.-upp.er surfaeestofth tops of said. cartons, althougit. is preferablyslightlybelow the .level.

of a d. s fa es... .Inasmuchas the collar-makes a relatively, snugfitaround, said cartons,.justlpermittingthe members.;3 5. to,pass.=.the.adjacent flanges 43, thecarrierh cannot be pulled awayfrom;'the:car'tons,. and a person y .Sflffily fl 1 l.;0uveniently carryapair. of cartons. by d e. 4.0-1.

In the formpf theinventionas shown.;in Figs. .4, 5, the handle 47 isidentical. withthe handle 40, except that there is no strip securedthereto, and the collar 46 of Fig. 5 is identical with the. collar. ofFig.3 except that no handle portionjs secured thereto.

In operation the;;c oll ar.4 6 is first formed as described for thecollar of'Figs. l to 3, and is then slipped over the upper portions/of apaip of ca r tons ;;after. which the handle 46 is insertedbetween, t l'1e cart.o,ns.

In om me fs ..t cellanandltandl fit in o the assembly operationeasier;than, .where the .handle is part of the collar, and, vice yer-S3; Theadvantage of the handle andcollar beingin one pieee'; is the factthatthe collar cannot possibly slip'down on the; carton and away fromthe handle, but as the collar malgee'a close fit with the cartons, thereis little likelihood of this occurring.

In the form of invention lshown; in 'Fig. 6, the handle only isdifferent fronrthat shoyvn: in Fig. 4. .The same collar as shown .inFig. iisu edt said handlejis generally designated 48 andpp sesanelongated strip of cardboard that is folded .on -1tself intgfimediateitsends so that the-lineoffold 42is'the lower-edgeof the handle and halves50, 51 are above saidline.

Registering openings -5 2 .;are,formed. in the-upper ends of theoverlying halves and parallel folding creases at 53,- 54-spaced-belowsaid-openings-in each half extendtransversely across the strip thatforms the handle and are parallel with crease 49: These creases 53, 54are respectively identically spaced in each half from the centralfolding crease 49 so that the portion between creases 53, 54 and belowcreases 54 in each half may be folded on themselves and when so foldedwill form oppositely outwardly and divergently upwardly extendingmembers that will engage underthe adjacent flanges 43 of a pair ofcartons 12, 13 when used in the manner described for the handle of Fig.5 or that of Fig. 2.

The doubled over sections forming the portions of each handle thatengages under the adjacent flanges in all of the forms of the inventionengage said flange along a finished folding crease. This is preferableto depending upon a raw edge of cardboard for such engagement since suchraw edges are relatively weak and are subject to being torn or frayed.

In Figs. 2, 4 a positive'meansin-the form-of the corners 40 yieldablyurges theflange engaging members oppositely outwardly, and the inherentresiliency of. thel cardboard itself at the fold lines is not solelyrelied upon. In the form of invention as seen in Fig. 6, thelowenportion 56 below crease, 54, will engage'between the adjacent sides ofcartons 12, 13'and when the handle is thrust between said cartons untilsaid. folded-over sec-- tions-along the edges formed by creases 54 isbelow. the adjacent flanges, any attempt to pull the handle. out ofbetween said cartons will immediately pullthe doubled over flangeengaging sections outwardly and below said flanges. Thus a means isprovided in this form of inven-' tion for causing said flange engagingsections to move to below the adjacent flanges.

If desired, a folding. crease may be formed along lines 57 (Fig. -6)that areparalleltwiththe creases53, 54; The operation'of the handle.will. be substantiallythe same in any event. It may also be noted thatin the invention. as seen in Fig. 6 theflangeengaging portions tend atall times to yieldably spring, outwardly so 'as to engage. below the.flanges 43 due to each of said. portions being. folded on themselves.

While it has been mentioned that. the collars of Fig.3 and Fig. 4 may beformed and thereafter slippedto'verthe cartons, it is to be understoodthat, insofar as thisinvention is concerned, any suitable method. ofapplying the holder to the cartons may be employed.--.

The fact that the members 35 that are-,adapted.to engage below the upperflanges on the cartons. also define the lower edges of the fingeropenings 34 enables the. said members to be easily folded, on themselvesto carton engaging positions-by hand orby machinerydnasmuch: as readyaccess is had thereto byreason of said; openings 34.

We claim:

1. A carrier for a pair of vertically elongated r,ectan-. gular cartons.of corresponding shape and size each having a rectangular top andlaterally directed fiangfis'along; the edges of'said top. comprising; ahorizontally disposed rectangular collar adapted to extend aroundsaid.car tons below their upper ends for holding them'togethe'rwvith;oneof their flat sides in opposed-relationship,asubst'antallyrectangular-sheet folded on itself to provideavirtu. allyelongated substantially rectangular member adapted; to extend betweenthe longer .pair of opposed sides of-sa'id collar; and between .andabovethe. adjacent fiangesalorm. the. upper ends of saidflat sides.-whensaidtcartons-area within said collar, registering hand openingsfor'mediin the portionshof. .saidsheet. adaptedtto. extend. above. saidadjacent flanges and corresponding sections of the .side's of said sheetbelow :saidopeningsudoubledion: themselves and, projecting laterallyoutwardly; and. divergentlysiups'; wardly for; engaging belowsaidflanges.

2. A carrier for: 5a; pairhof' vertically. 'elongatedlectamn gularcartons of correspondingshapeandsiZe'eaclr having: a rectangular: top Iand. laterally. directed flangesalong the. edges of .Sald'. topgcomprisingsa horizontally disposed. rectangular collar adapted to,extendmround saidicartons below th irtcupper; ends: for; holdin them toether-Mimi one. of their .flflti'lSidCS, in opposedhrelationship; asubstan--2- tially rectangulansheetfolded onitself to prou'idefaVll'tllr ally elongated substantially rectangular membenadapted to. exend betweenthelongen-pair oft opposedtsides 10f said collarand betweenand abovfilthelladjactillt flanges snag..- the, upper endsnf said flat;sideslwhenrsaid ham-meme.

within said collar, registering hand openings formed in the portions ofsaid sheet adapted to extend above said adjacent flanges andcorresponding sections of the sides of said sheet below said openingsdoubled on themselves and projecting laterally outwardly and divergentlyupwardly for engaging below said flanges, said collar being relativelywide so as to extend over a substantial portion of the outer sides ofthe cartons of said pair and said member having a substantial portionbelow said sections for extending between the opposed sides of said pairof cartons.

3. In a carrier for a pair of vertically elongated rectangular cartonsof corresponding shape and size having rectangular tops and laterallydirected flanges along the edges of said tops, a rectangular collaradapted to extend around said pair for holding them together, a sheet ofcardboard folded on itself to provide a flat vertically elongated flatmember consisting of a pair of correspondingly shaped layers of saidcardboard adapted to extend between and above the adjacent flanges alongsaid tops when said cartons are within said collar, registering handopenings formed in said layers at the upper end of said member and aportion of each layer below said openings being folded on themselves toprovide horizontally elongated divergently extending sections havingupwardly and oppositely outwardly directed straight, horizontallyextending edges adapted to engage below said adjacent flanges.

4. A carrier for a pair of vertically disposed rectangular cartons ofcorresponding shape and size each having laterally directed flanges atits upper end comprising; a collar adapted to extend around said cartonsfor holding them together with one of their flat sides in opposedrelation, a pair of vertical cardboard sheets of similar shape and sizein face to face engaging relationship adapted to extend between andabove the adjacent flanges at the top of said cartons when they arewithin said collar, registering hand openings formed in the portions ofsaid sheets adapted to extend above said cartons when they are heldtogether, corresponding horizontally elongated sections integral withsaid sheets respectively along a straight horizontal line extendinghorizontally the major distance between the side edges of said sheetsand cut from said sheets along three sides above said lines to providesimilar horizontally elongated sections secured to said sheets onlyalong said lines, each of said sections being folded on itself along astraight line about midway of the vertical width of each sectionproviding a straight edge along the line of fold and the sections sofolded being bent oppositely outwardly for engagement of said straightedge of each section below said adjacent flanges.

5. A carrier for a pair of vertically elongated rectangular cartons ofcorresponding shape and size each having a rectangular top and laterallydirected flanges along the edges of said top comprising; a collaradapted to extend around said pair below said flanges for holding themtogether with one of their flat sides in opposed relation, a pair ofrectangular sheets of cardboard in face to face engaging relationadapted to extend between and above the adjacent flanges of said cartonswhen the latter are within said collar, registering hand openings formedin the portions of said sheets that are adapted to extend above saidflanges, corresponding horizontally elongated sections in said sheetseach cut away from its sheet along a pair of horizontally spaceddivergently upwardly extending lines and along a straight line extendingbetween the divergent upper ends of said pair of lines, the upper halvesof said sections being folded toward each other and on the lower halvesrespectively whereby the upper corners of said sections before foldingwill overlie the opposite outer section of said sheets at the convergentends of said lines for holding said folded sections inclined oppositelyoutwardly for extending beneath said adjacent 1 anges.

6. A carrier for a pair of vertically elongated rectangular cartons ofcorresponding shape and size each having a rectangular top and laterallydirected flanges along the edges of said top comprising; a collaradapted to extend around said pair below said flanges for holding themtogether with one of their flat sides in opposed relation, a pair ofrectangular sheets of cardboard in face to face engaging relationadapted to extend between and above the adjacent flanges of said cartonswhen the latter are within said collar, registering hand openings formedin the portions of said sheets that are adapted to extend above saidflanges, corresponding horizontally elongated sections in said sheetseach cut away from its sheet along a pair of horizontally spaceddivergently upwardly extending lines and along a straight line extendingbetween the divergent upper ends of said pair of lines, the upper halvesof said sections being folded toward each other and on the lower halvesrespectively whereby the upper corners of said sections before foldingwill overlie the opposite outer section of said sheets at the convergentends of said lines for holding said folded sections inclined oppositelyoutwardly for extending beneath said adjacent flanges, said sheets beingintegrally joined along one of their vertical edges and said collarbeing integrally joined with one of said sheets along one of thevertical edges of the latter.

7. In a carton carrier for a pair of vertically elongated rectangularcartons of corresponding shape and size in side by side relationshiphaving parallel adjacent flanges along their upper edges; a pair ofvertically disposed, correspondingly shaped vertically elongatedcardboard sheets in opposed face to face relationship adapted to bepositioned between said cartons in a position projecting upwardlytherefrom, registering finger openings in the portions of said sheetsadapted to project upwardly from said cartons when said sheets arebetween said pair of cartons, and members integral with said sheets anddefining the lower edges of said openings foldable on themselves topositions extending divergently outwardly and upwardly for engagementbetween said adjacent flanges on said cartons, and a collar adapted toextend around such pair of cartons for holding them together.

No references cited.

